October 09, 2009

Politics:
President meets head of GM International Operations
President of Uzbekistan meets Swiss Federal Councillor
Legislative Chamber holds session
Economics:
Uzbekneftegaz inks several agreements with its Omani partners
Uzbek, SKorean businessmen meet in Tashkent to discuss cooperation in IT sphere
Print and advertising exhibitions open
Society:
Katta Ashula and Navruz Included in Intangible Cultural Heritage
Ambulance for Newborns
Medical Goods

POLICY

PRESIDENT MEETS HEAD OF GM INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS

The President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov received the president of the General Motors International Operations and the executive vice president of General Motors Nick Reilly on October 9 in Tashkent.

The sides considered issues of organization of the production of the new car models in Uzbekistan, expansion of localization, improvement of export strategies and implementation of joint projects in the car industry, National News Agency UzA reported.

Islam Karimov said the cooperation between Uzbekistan and the General Motors was developing intensively and the meeting was a good opportunity to consider issues of strengthening this cooperation.

Nick Reilly said General Motors highly valued cooperation with its Uzbek partners and was interested in its further intensification.

Islam Karimov and Nick Reilly expressed satisfaction with the current state of cooperation and defined priority directions of its development and concrete plans for mid-term perspective.

PRESIDENT OF UZBEKISTAN MEETS SWISS FEDERAL COUNCILLOR

The President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov received the Federal Councillor and the head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland Micheline Calmy-Rey in Tashkent on 8 October.

The President noted that the Uzbek-Swiss relations were developing intensively and that the meeting was a good opportunity to discuss various issues of bilateral cooperation, National News Agency UzA reported.

The Swiss Federal Councillor said her country highly valued relations with Uzbekistan and was interested in their further development.

Switzerland was one of the first European states to open its diplomatic mission in Tashkent. The economic relations between the two states are based on a number of intergovernmental agreements on trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation, stimulation and mutual protection of investments and avoiding double taxation.

About 100 joint ventures with participation of Swiss investments are operating in Uzbekistan. Besides, 35 companies have their representative offices in the country. Credit Suisse bank has been running its representative office in Tashkent since 1995.

A number of joint socioeconomic projects are being implemented by the countries in the framework of the technical, financial and humanitarian cooperation agreement.

More than 20 projects of national and regional importance have been implemented in the past years, and more than 10 projects are currently being implemented in the fields of creation and repairs of water and heat supply systems, and development of professional education.

During the meeting, Islam Karimov and Micheline Calmy-Rey also considered important international and regional problems.

LEGISLATIVE CHAMBER HOLDS SESSION

The Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan held a session on 8 October 2009 to consider new draft laws and other issues.

The lower chamber of the parliament passed the law on introducing changes in legislation related to issuing long-term bonds by commercial banks to be placed among legal entities in 2009-2010.

The document was developed in accordance with the President’s resolution on increasing the share of long-term credits of banks used for financing investment projects, UzA reported.

Currently, only open joint stock companies have the right to issue corporate bonds, according to the law on the securities market.

The deputies said introduction of the norm allowing the banks to issue bonds will stimulate the development of the country’s banking and financial sector.

Another law the chamber passed was the law on preventing micro-nutrient insufficiency among the population.

Micro-nutrients are irreplaceable vitamins and minerals that are required for the normal growth and development of the people.

The law defined the state policy in this area, the competence of the government and the regional authorities in preventing micro-nutrient insufficiency among the population.

The document will help improve the health of the women and children, and harmonious development of the growing generation, the deputies said.

ECONOMY

UZBEKNEFTEGAZ INKS SEVERAL AGREEMENTS WITH ITS OMANI PARTNERS

Several documents have been signed between the representatives of Uzbekneftegaz (Uzbek Oil and Gas) national holding company and Omani partners in Masqat, Oman.

In particular, Uzbekneftegaz and Oman Oil Company signed an Agreement on expansion of cooperation, a Memorandum of understanding on studying opportunities of co-investing projects in oil-and-gas sphere, as well as a Memorandum of understanding on joint implementation of project to produce polyethylene pipes, Uzreport Information Portal reported.

Some trilateral documents have been inked as well. Thus, Uzkimyosanoat (Uzbek chemical industry) state joint-stock company, Uzbekneftegaz and Oman Oil Company signed a Memorandum of understanding on cooperation in implementation of polyvinylchloride production project.

Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and trade of Uzbekistan, Uzbekneftegaz and National Economy Ministry of Omani signed a Memorandum of cooperation on construction of cement works in Uzbekistan.

UZBEK, SKOREAN BUSINESSMEN MEET IN TASHKENT TO DISCUSS COOPERATION IN IT SPHERE

Uzbek Agency for Communication and Informatization (UzACI) hosted a joint meeting of the representatives of communications industry and Uzeltehsanoat (Uzbek electrical industry) association with the delegation of businesses from the Republic of Korea on October 7.

During the meeting, the Korean businessmen were familiarized with the information on state and perspectives of Uzbekistan's communication and informatization sphere, reforms pursued in the industry, potential and prospective directions of cooperation, Uzreport Information Portal reported.

On the same day, a cooperation exchange with participation of Uzbek and Korean companies in the sphere of ICT was held at UzACI office. Participants of the event got acquainted with the capacities of partners, exchanged opinions on the development of cooperation, development and implementation of new projects.

The Uzbek side informed Koreans on introduction of ICT in Uzbekistan, available favorable conditions for ICT development, scientific projects being implemented, work on development of the system of electronic documents circulation and its putting into practice, increase of the volume of software and its exports.

Uzbek experts learned from their Korean colleagues about the range of services on e-Business, consulting services on technology, as well as new types of ICT services, web services, system services provided by the Korean companies.

The sides exchanged opinions on the issues of development of bilateral cooperation in the field of information technologies, stemming from the opportunity of its activation, expansion of the scales and increase of its quality level.

The South Korean businessmen shared their views on development and implementation of new mutually beneficial projects, agreed to cooperation with the Uzbek side in the sphere of realization of projects of e-government, exchange of information on prospects in IT sphere, collaboration in research and advanced introduction of communications.

PRINT AND ADVERTISING EXHIBITIONS OPEN

Three exhibitions related to publishing, polygraphy and advertising – O‘ZBEK in PRINT, O‘ZUPAK and O‘ZREKLAMA – opened in Tashkent.

The forums, held for the 11th time, aim to demonstrate the achievements in the fied of publishing and polygraphy.

More than 60 Uzbek companies and over 20 foreign ones are presenting their products, equipment and technologies at the exhibitions.

A number of meetings, conferences and presentations will be held in the framework of the exhibitions.

SOCIETY

KATTA ASHULA AND NAVRUZ INCLUDED IN INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, has served as a venue for the fourth session on issues of inmaterial cultural heritage. Over four-hundred experts representing 193 UNESCO member states attended the forum, so did representatives of Uzbekistan.

A huge interest in the work of the session was caused by the fact that after coming into effect of UNESCO Convention on protection of intangible cultural heritage in 2003, documents of cultural objects of countries were worked out in order to include them in the representative list of UNESCO on intangible cultural heritage.

“Only 76 candidates from totally 111 ones were decided deserving to be included in the UNESCO list,” noted Alisher Ikramov, secretary general of the National Commission of Uzbekistan for UNESCO. “Uzbekistan represented two nominations - Navruz and Katta Ashula, although the nomination document on Navruz was prepared in co-authorship with Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, and India. It should also be noted that the group of experts engaged in preparations for the document on Navruz was headed by a representative of Uzbekistan.”

Katta Ashula means “grand song” as well as Patnis Ashula - “A song with a tray” belongs to professional music of folklore. This genre of the song differs with a melody of declamation character and peculiar manner of performance - singers hold plates or little trays in their hands with the help of which they regulate a sound direction. Katta Ashula, with its two or more singers has no instrumental accompaniment.

Navruz means “a new day”. This ancient holiday is celebrated traditionally on March 21, in the day of vernal equinox and means the coming of a new day and a new year in many countries of Eurasia.

“After implementation of UNESCO Convention on protection of intangible cultural heritage in 2003, ninety elements were automatically included in the list and in 2001-2005 these elements were announced as Masterpieces of folklore and intangible heritage of humanity,” continued Alisher Ikramov. “Two cultural objects of Uzbekistan - Boysun cultural area and musical traditions of Shoshmaqom were among those included. The nomination document on Shoshmaqom prepared by Uzbekistani experts was supported by Tajikistan.”

Thus, such cultural elements of Uzbekistan as Boysun cultural area, musical traditions of Shoshmaqom, Navruz holiday and Katta Ashula are among those included in the Representative list of the intangible cultural heritage.

AMBULANCE FOR NEWBORNS

Implementation of a set of measures in Andijon region on perfecting emergency obstetric care has promoted the increase of probability of survival of newborns with weakened health.

“Today 85% of women who have difficulties during pregnancy receive medical care in our clinic,” says Alisher Egamberdiev, head physician of regional perinatal center. “Our maternity rooms are equipped with modern surgical devices, we also have powerful equipment for nursing weak newborns. But the most important component are physicians who have a lot of experience working with serious patients and apply principles of evidential medicine.

We also care of wellbeing of women with complications who give birth in district hospitals. For this purpose we have adjusted close contacts with all maternity hospitals. At any time our specialists are ready to go and help them, and deliver the mother and the newborn to our center on an ambulance if necessary. However, now we have fewer of such visits owing to fast mutual aid and high professional level of physicians working in districts.”

MEDICAL GOODS

One of the largest international fairs held in Uzbekistan “UzMedExpo-2009” ended today in Tashkent.

The exposition presented broad assortment of medications and biologically active additives. In particular, such major national pharmaceutical enterprises as Uzhimfarm, Aslklepiy Svift and Immunomed presented new herbal medications. And visitors got a good opportunity to get acquainted with the products of Belarusian manufacturers. Six factories represented this country.

The fair was also very useful for orthopedists and traumatologists. More than ten vendors and manufacturers of prosthetic devices and technologies offered their products. A lot of new developments for dentures and treatment of various diseases on spine were presented here.

There were a lot of interesting things for those who came to see the new medical equipment. New models of medical furniture, dental units, ultrasonic research devices, x-ray devices, diagnostics and laboratory sets were presented.

“Specialists of our center have not missed one medical fair,” remarked Matsafa Bekmetov, director of the Republican Stomatology Center. “It allows us to be aware of all novelties. By the way, owing to such fairs we were the first in the republic to introduce soft removable dentures and nonremovable ceramic dentures without using steel. And this fair was interesting for us from the point of view of improving already applied technologies and acquisition of new equipment.”